Assembly

At the intersection of what has always been and what might be,
A short teenage girl stretches tall, centre stage,
Her favourite blouse of red and white stripes complete with floppy bow
Distracts only slightly from her deliberately punc-tu-a-ted words,
Shared into a screechy mic atop the old oak podium.

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Published by Jo-Anne Teal

I'm a writer who is particularly interested in telling stories of the hidden, the hurt, the silent, the unheard. My writing website: www.jtealwriter.com Twitter: jtvancouver
View all posts by Jo-Anne Teal

Jo, you have a gift for capturing those moments in life that etch themselves into our brains, fodder for the rewind/replay urges that memory lures us into. I can feel her (your?) fear and awkwardness and determination, and I want to leap up on the stage to give her red and white striped shoulder a squeeze of encouragement for her gutsiness.

I love the contrasts throughout the poem: what’s always been/what might be; the short girl stretching tall; the dark hair turning ashy blond in the spotlight; shyness/feigned confidence. They add a wonderful sense of balance, and underline the “intersection” of the first line.